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Rochester Hills State Rep. talking to state officials about arrests at ‘10 Arab Festival
Published: Wednesday, July 21, 2010
By Sean Delaney, Press & Guide Newspapers
DEARBORN — A controversial case involving four Christian missionaries who were arrested at the Arab International Festival in Dearborn is apparently being monitored by the State Attorney General’s Office.
In a press release issued Friday, State Rep. Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills) said he was contacted by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office “and assured that they are monitoring the developments of the June Dearborn Arab Festival incidents and are very interested in seeing how the litigation unfolds -- they’ve been in discussions with the defendants’ attorneys and its definitely on their radar screen.”
The defendants, who are members or founders of a group called “Acts 17 Apologetics,” entered not guilty pleas July 12 in 19th District Court.
Negeen Mayel, 18, of California; Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, 29, of Virginia; Paul Rezkalla, 18 of New York, and David Wood, 34, also of New York, face fines of up to $500 each and up to 93 days in jail. Mayel was also charged with disobeying an officer.
They are scheduled to return to court for another hearing Aug. 3. If the case goes to trial, it would begin in September.
At the heart of the case are the group’s alleged actions during the festival, which took place June 18-20.
City officials said in a written statement July 9, that at approximately 8:30 p.m. June 18, Dearborn police officers received a complaint, from a Christian volunteer working the festival, regarding members of Acts 17 Apologetics harassing and intimidating patrons of the festival and that a large crowd was gathering.
Officers responded to the area where “a large agitated crowd had gathered due to the actions of the individuals of Acts 17 Apologetics,” according to the city’s public information department.
“The four members of Acts 17 Apologetics chose to escalate their behavior, which appeared well-orchestrated and deliberate, and chose not to follow the directions being given to them by the responding officers,” the written statement from Dearborn officials said. “The behavior of these individuals drew and incited a large crowd to a point where they were in violation of city of Dearborn misdemeanor ordinances of breach of peace and failure to obey the lawful order of a police officer.”
Defense attorney Robert Muise, senior trial counsel with the Thomas More Law Center, argued in court July 12 that the group did nothing wrong and that their arrest violates their constitutional rights of freedom of speech and religion.
“The encroachment of the First Amendment is just astonishing,” Muise said.
City officials maintain that the four individuals representing Acts 17 Apologetics were not arrested for handing out literature, and in fact, were not handing out literature at the time of their arrest.
“This issue has nothing to do with First Amendment Rights; it has to do with public safety and the individual choices made by the arrested parties,” city officials said prior to the arraignment.
The four defendants are free on bond. Rep. McMillin, who has called on the Attorney General’s Office to investigate the incident, issued the following statement July 16 after speaking with the State Attorney General’s Office about the case.
“It’s my clear sense that, whether its the skills of the Thomas More Law Center or eventually State Attorney General Mike Cox, errant public officials in Dearborn will be held accountable for the apparent illegal activity that they engaged in when suppressing the four Christians’ freedom of speech.”
Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad has defended his department’s actions during the festival.
“Our job is to provide public safety to all who choose to rally or demonstrate in the city of Dearborn and we will provide the same professional service regardless of the cause or views of the parties involved,” he said in a statement July 9.
http://pressandguide...9a483000210.txt
Published: Wednesday, July 21, 2010
By Sean Delaney, Press & Guide Newspapers
DEARBORN — A controversial case involving four Christian missionaries who were arrested at the Arab International Festival in Dearborn is apparently being monitored by the State Attorney General’s Office.
In a press release issued Friday, State Rep. Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills) said he was contacted by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office “and assured that they are monitoring the developments of the June Dearborn Arab Festival incidents and are very interested in seeing how the litigation unfolds -- they’ve been in discussions with the defendants’ attorneys and its definitely on their radar screen.”
The defendants, who are members or founders of a group called “Acts 17 Apologetics,” entered not guilty pleas July 12 in 19th District Court.
Negeen Mayel, 18, of California; Dr. Nabeel Qureshi, 29, of Virginia; Paul Rezkalla, 18 of New York, and David Wood, 34, also of New York, face fines of up to $500 each and up to 93 days in jail. Mayel was also charged with disobeying an officer.
They are scheduled to return to court for another hearing Aug. 3. If the case goes to trial, it would begin in September.
At the heart of the case are the group’s alleged actions during the festival, which took place June 18-20.
City officials said in a written statement July 9, that at approximately 8:30 p.m. June 18, Dearborn police officers received a complaint, from a Christian volunteer working the festival, regarding members of Acts 17 Apologetics harassing and intimidating patrons of the festival and that a large crowd was gathering.
Officers responded to the area where “a large agitated crowd had gathered due to the actions of the individuals of Acts 17 Apologetics,” according to the city’s public information department.
“The four members of Acts 17 Apologetics chose to escalate their behavior, which appeared well-orchestrated and deliberate, and chose not to follow the directions being given to them by the responding officers,” the written statement from Dearborn officials said. “The behavior of these individuals drew and incited a large crowd to a point where they were in violation of city of Dearborn misdemeanor ordinances of breach of peace and failure to obey the lawful order of a police officer.”
Defense attorney Robert Muise, senior trial counsel with the Thomas More Law Center, argued in court July 12 that the group did nothing wrong and that their arrest violates their constitutional rights of freedom of speech and religion.
“The encroachment of the First Amendment is just astonishing,” Muise said.
City officials maintain that the four individuals representing Acts 17 Apologetics were not arrested for handing out literature, and in fact, were not handing out literature at the time of their arrest.
“This issue has nothing to do with First Amendment Rights; it has to do with public safety and the individual choices made by the arrested parties,” city officials said prior to the arraignment.
The four defendants are free on bond. Rep. McMillin, who has called on the Attorney General’s Office to investigate the incident, issued the following statement July 16 after speaking with the State Attorney General’s Office about the case.
“It’s my clear sense that, whether its the skills of the Thomas More Law Center or eventually State Attorney General Mike Cox, errant public officials in Dearborn will be held accountable for the apparent illegal activity that they engaged in when suppressing the four Christians’ freedom of speech.”
Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad has defended his department’s actions during the festival.
“Our job is to provide public safety to all who choose to rally or demonstrate in the city of Dearborn and we will provide the same professional service regardless of the cause or views of the parties involved,” he said in a statement July 9.
http://pressandguide...9a483000210.txt
